


Learning Amortentia

by SailorBryant



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Hogwarts!au, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-11
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-13 05:36:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5696995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SailorBryant/pseuds/SailorBryant
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sitting at the other houses’ tables just wasn't done. It wasn't a rule, per say, but Gavin had never seen it happen before.  Still, when you’re friends with Geoff Ramsey, these things tend to happen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Learning Amortentia

**Author's Note:**

> My entry for the RageHappy Secret Santa for turnfreewoods@tumblr.

 

The first time Gavin had walked into the Great Hall he’d been speechless. He had spent his life surrounded by magic, yes, but his parents used magic like a carpenter used a hammer; nothing more than a tool. But the magic that hovered the candles gently below an exact copy of the night’s sky, that was art.

Just like that day six years ago, Gavin once again found himself staring slack jawed in wonder from the grand entrance to the Grand Hall; though magic was not the culprit this time. The source of his sudden awe was the bespeckled blonde haired boy currently sitting at his table, his blue and silver scarf an eyesore in a sea of green. Feeling someone bump into him, Gavin was finally propelled forward, slowly marching towards the Slytherin table in a staggered, gallow’s walk.

The closer he got he could see more details of the horrible scene in front of him.  Geoff, a seventh year Slytherin, and someone he had until this point considered a friend, was telling a story, his hands gesturing wildly.  Jack, another seventh year, sat across from him, watching him fondly. Neither of them seemed too put out by the Ravenclaw boy sitting beside Jack.

He slowly slid into the bench beside Geoff, ignoring the generous spread of food to stare wide eyed at the blonde.

“Did I miss something?” he asked during a pause in Geoff’s story, his voice hitching slightly in surprise at the end.

“Besides puberty?” Geoff quipped. Jack and he launched into a round of snickers, and to his horror, the blonde Ravenclaw joined in.

“Geoffrey,” Gavin whined, and their snickers grew louder.

“I think he’s referring to my presence,” a deep voiced answered, and the amused tilt to his voice made Gavin want to disappear.

He had been a student here for six years, and never once had he seen a student sitting at the wrong house’s table.  A quick look around told him that he wasn’t the only one staring at their little group with wide, confused eyes, including the rest of their own house. Of course, people weren’t required to sit with their houses, but it was definitely an unstated rule.

Then again, Geoff had never been one for rules.

Geoff rolled his eyes, and shoved Gavin with his shoulder. “What are you, _housest_ or something, Gavvers?”

Gavin let out a squawk of protest, his face going bright red when the Ravenclaw chuckled at him.

Normally, Gavin would be all breaking tradition and causing a ruckus. One couldn’t really be friends with Geoff Ramsey without loving a little chaos. Gavin just wished he could Geoff could’ve picked someone different for his experiment.

Anyone besides Ryan Haywood.

Ryan Haywood, the be-speckled Head Boy who was admired all around the school for not only good looks, but his quiet, aloof nature that only added to his appeal.  The boy that would invade Gavin’s private corner in the library, just too ignore the Brit and spend his time pouring over fiction books. The boy that Gavin would sneak and stare at from over the top of his book he was pretending to read.

Anyone but the boy Gavin had spent years pretending he didn't have a crush on.

“Ryan can sit wherever he wants,” Jack said, in a mock stern voice.

“It does look like we’re causing a bit of scene,” Ryan replied, but with a bemused air. Because of course he was a troublemaker, Gavin thought ruefully.

“Bring on the hate,” Geoff said, his passionate words belied by the manic grin on his lips. “Ryan’s our dearest friend now, we won’t let such a simple thing as tables keep us apart. ”

“I’m glad to see you had no ulterior motives in asking me to sit here,” Ryan replied dryly.

“You’re friends?” Gavin squeaked at Geoff, ignoring Ryan entirely. “Since when?”

“Since yesterday when he helped me cheat in Potions,” Geoff replied.

“T-that is not what happened,” Ryan stuttered out.                                                          

“It’s so crazy to think that there is a Ravenclaw out there who would cheat at something.  I just knew he had to be our friend at once.”

Ryan’s face was blood red now, and Gavin couldn’t stop staring.

“And Head Boy no less,” Jack agreed, and Ryan sent him a look of betrayal.

“I didn’t cheat,” Ryan groaned, turning to glare at Geoff. “You said you hurt your hand, I was just trying to help.”

Geoff gave him a thumbs up, and for the first time Gavin noticed the flesh toned bandage wrapped around the palm of his hand and around his thumb. He quickly wrapped his “injured” hand around his fork, with such dexterity that left the validity of the bandage very much in question.

“Slytherins,” Ryan sighed, shaking his head.

Geoff scoffed, “Hey! Papercuts' hurt like dicks, man.”

“Have a lot of experience with dicks hurting?” Ryan quipped, and there was a moment of silence as they all processed what he’d said.  Geoff let out a surprised bark, before Jack and he burst into a round of gut busting laughter.

“Oh my god, Ryan,” Geoff wheezed out. “I can’t believe you said that.”

Ryan’s cheeks were tinged with red, but he had a small genuine smile on his lips, like he was a mixture of embarrassed and proud at the same time.

It was just too much.

“I have to go,” Gavin mumbled, interrupting their laughter to jerk up from the table.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Jack asked, confused, but Gavin just shook his head trying to escape the table as quickly as possible.  He ignored Ryan’s confused brows, and Geoff’s knowing eyes, and scuttled out of the Great Hall, falling in line behind his fellow sixth years.

Thankfully, he didn’t have any classes with Geoff and them, all seventh years, because he needed a long time to gather his thoughts.

Of course, he thought, as he entered the Potion’s classroom, and slid slowly into his chair.  Of course, his crush couldn’t just be the most sought after boy in school.  He had to also be kind, the kind to take pity on a fellow student, even if he was in a different house. He had to be funny, able to slide seamlessly into his friends often crude humor.  

He had to be brave, bearing the stairs of students and teachers alike just to eat breakfast with a boy just because he’d asked.

Of bloody course.

\---

Gavin avoided lunch entirely, sneaking a sandwich from the kitchens, before finishing up his afternoon classes.  He finally scrounged up the nerve to drag himself to the common room after classes, ignoring his housemates' curious looks at his sulkiness.

Of course, he was not surprised to find Geoff and Jack sitting on the couch nearest the door, both of them catching his eye as soon as he appeared through the painting.  Jack’s confused, almost worried face was par for the course, but Geoff’s knowing look nearly made him trip.

He took a deep breath, and collapsed onto the couch beside Jack.  The chubbier boy opened his mouth but Gavin immediately interrupted him.

“Sorola was such an ass today,” he whined, throwing his books on the table, studiously not meeting Jack’s or Geoff’s eyes.

A boy in the chair beside him, a fellow sixth year named Aaron Marquis, grunted in agreement. “Seriously. He has it out for us, Slytherins.”

“Nah,” Geoff said, kicking his feet up onto the center table. “He just hates everybody.”

Aaron snorted at that, but Gavin just nodded. Geoff had a point. Sorola was known for his surly personality, no matter the house. He'd even caught him snapping at some of the other teacher's before.

Gavin could feel Jack’s concerned stare digging into him, and he quickly drug Aaron and Geoff both into the customary ritual enjoyed by all students of breaking down and roasting their roster of teachers. Eventually, Jack gave up and joined in, and Gavin breathed a sigh of relief.

\---

The next morning Ryan was back at the Ravenclaw table, and Gavin was instantly relieved.

As he slid into the table across from Jack - Geoff still slowly dragging himself towards the table - Gavin couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

Jack turned immediately to glare at him. “Do you have a problem with Ryan?”

Gavin choked on his orange juice, stuttering out a denial: “N-no, no, of course not.”

“Then why are you acting so weird?” he demanded.

“I-I don’t know, I was just surprised he was there, alright? Why was he even sitting with us?”

“Cause I asked him,” Geoff said as he finally slid into the bench beside Gavin. "Something wrong with that?"

“Well, it’s weird in’it?” he asked, doing his best to avoid Jack’s gaze.

“Why?” Geoff asked smugly, before biting into a piece of toast.  

“You bloody know why.”

“No rules against it, and you know Burns don’t give a shit. I don’t see what the big deal is. I like Ryan, he’s always sitting alone at his table, so I asked him to sit with us,” Geoff said with a shrug, before waving his half eaten toast in Gavin's direction.  “Nothing to get your panties in a twist over, Gavvers.”

Gavin squawked in protest, opening his mouth to argue with Geoff once more, but Jack apparently wasn't done.

“Listen Gavin,” Jack started, full of repressed fury, before he dropped his voice to a harsh whisper, “if this a blood thing-”

Jack trailed off when a look of pure horror crossed Gavin’s face, and Geoff glared at him.  

“What the fuck, Jack,” Geoff seethed, making sure to keep his voice low though.  This was definitely not a conversation they wanted the rest of their table to hear.

“I-I’m sorry, I just had to ask.”

“You really didn't,” Geoff replied.

Gavin stared down at his empty plate.

I mean, sure, there was a time when he’d entered the school as a lad with some silly ideas in his head, after having it rammed down his throat from birth. And maybe there’d been a time when he’d scoffed at Geoff or other students with half or non-magical parents. But that was a long time ago.

Gavin may have grow up hearing the words, but it only took a few months at school for him to realize that that’s all they were, words.  Geoff may have not been the smartest kid in school, but you couldn't deny he was powerful. As Gavin found out the first - and only - time he mouthed off and called the other boy a half breed, only to find himself hung upside down from the dungeon roof until his head of house finally had to come let him down.

There was so many hang ups he had towards Ryan that his muggle parents were merely an afterthought.

That boy who sneered at people like Geoff, or whispered ‘blood traitor’ behind Jack’s back was long gone. 

“You know I’m not like that anymore,” Gavin whispered, and the rawness of his voice made Jack wince.

“Sorry, man. Sorry,” he immediately apologized.

“I’m just not good with new people,” Gavin said, a little more confidence in his voice, while Jack apologized again. Geoff gave him a sidelong glance, obviously wanting to call him on his fib, but seemed to decide against it.

“I just feel sorry for the guy," Jack finally said after moment or two of awkward silence between them.

Gavin raised an eyebrow, but Jack continued.

“He just always sits alone. Even in class, the other Ravenclaw’s don’t have much to do with him.  I don’t get it though. I mean, whenever I’ve talked to him he seemed okay.”

“Maybe he did something really embarrassing when he was younger, and now they all avoid him," Geoff interjected.

Jack snorted. “I’d think we’d know.”

“Nah, those claws are a tight nit group. They’d rather sit around in their tower and whisper behind his back than let us all have a good laugh about it.”

“I really doubt that,” Jack said snidely, and that’s all it took before the two were trading jabs back and forth.

Gavin immediately tuned them out, his eyes scanning over to Ryan who was sitting all by his lonesome towards the head of the table. Ryan didn’t seem to mind though, barely paying attention to his food as he skimmed through a History of Magic book.

Gavin had been watching Ryan for years, and while the guys were right that he didn’t seem to have any close friends, it wasn’t because of his other classmates. It seemed to be by choice.  Gavin had caught him, more than once, blow off an invitation to this or that, just to finish reading a book or catch up on that last bit of homework.  Hell, he’d bet that the Head Boy had turned down enough girls to fill the pathway from the castle to Hogsmeade.

He rested his chin on his palm and let out a sigh, forcing himself to look away from Head Boy.  It was definitely a surprise to see that the quieter turned boy would have sat with Geoff Ramsey of all people, but Gavin was sure that it wouldn’t matter in the end.

Ryan definitely wouldn't be back.

\---

Over the next week, Gavin was more and more sure he was right.  Their house table stayed Ravenclaw free, and Jack and Geoff had completely stopped mentioning him.  Gavin had nearly forgotten the whole thing.

Until he walked into Geoff and Jack’s room on Saturday afternoon and found Ryan sitting on one of the empty beds.

All three boys looked up when Gavin let out a choked sound. Geoff snickered at the gobsmacked look on his face, while Ryan gave him a bright smile and tiny little wave. Gavin let out a few more gutteral sounds, before Jack finally threw a pillow at him.

“How-wha-how?” he finally stuttered out, clutching the pillow to his chest.

Geoff stood up, making grabbing motions at the sixth year but Gavin avoided him deftly.  “What’s the problem, Gavvers?”

“How did he-” Gavin started, only to be cut off when Geoff finally managed to grab a hold. He hooked an arm around his neck, holding him in a lock while he whined and struggled to get free.

“He’s Head Boy, Gavin,” Jack said with a sigh. “He can go the other common rooms if he needs to. How do you not know this?”

“What? Really?”

“You know our little Gavvy doesn’t pay attention to stuff like that,” Geoff snickered, ruffling up Gavin’s hair. “He’s too busy thinking about how to transfigure that big ol’ nose of his normal.”

“Oh, Geoffery no,” Gavin whined, kicking his legs out in an attempt to free himself. When he heard Ryan’s chuckle, his cheeks burnt all the way up to the tips of his ears. “Let go,” he growled at Geoff, and Geoff flicked his ear before finally stepping back.

He showed his back to the three of them, trying to straighten his hair, and willing his blush to go down.  

“You might as well give up on that, there's no way it doesn't look like the end of a broom.”

“Shut up, Geoffery,” Gavin whined.

Ryan coughed, and they all spun to look at him. “I really do need to get the library, and get those books for our project.”

“We’ll come with,” Geoff piped up cheerily, and Jack was already sliding his shoes on.

Ryan smiled at them, and Gavin had to look away.  

“You coming, Gavvy wavvy?”

“To do work? On a Saturday?” Gavin said, scrunching up his nose.

Geoff laughed, ruffling his hair once more, before he sauntered out the door, Jack hot on his heels. Ryan followed after, giving him a small smile, but Gavin couldn't even look at him.  He knew it was rude, but he couldn’t help it. Being this close to the other boy was bad enough, he didn't know if he could stand them trading genuine greetings. He heard the door to the dorm room shut before he finally turned from where he was staring at the wall.

His eyes quickly slept over the room, as he turned to leave but something stopped him in his tracks.

His eyes locked in on the blue and silver scarf laying over the post of the bed.

Slowly, not quite believing what he was seeing, he made his way across the room, grasping the scarf in between his hands, and letting the fabric run between his fingers.

Gavin knew what was expected of him. He should have taken off down the stairs, grabbed Ryan by the arm, and handed him the scarf immediately. The Head Boy, ever polite, would have thanked him with a small smile, and that would have been that.

But, what he should have done and what he wanted to do were drastically different, he thought, as he wrapped the scarf around his neck, and took a deep breath.

Books, he thought with a giggle. Of course it smelled like books. Old, musty, books, that had lounged on shelves for longer than Gavin had been alive. Still, there was a smell mixed in, like a mild aftershave, something foresty, that had to be uniquely Ryan.

Gavin looked at the door once more, biting his lip, before finally unwrapping the scarf and hiding it underneath the flap of his cloak, and scampering up to his own dorm. Later that night when Geoff was asking around about a lost scarf, Gavin shook his head with the rest of the boys. He ignored the knowing gaze his friend sent his way, and did his best to try and not think about the contents of the chest at the foot of his bed.

\---

Monday morning came, and Ryan was sitting at their table once again, pouring over a passage in a book with Jack. Gavin slowly slid into his seat, shooting Geoff a look, which was met with an eye roll and a jab to his kidney.

He slid down the bench a bit, striking up conversation with Aaron, and Miles Luna, another Slytherin sixth year. They were discussing the newest trouble making antics that Jones, Narvaez, and Tuggey, the Gryffindor trio, had been up to. Gavin listened intently, ignoring Geoff's every attempt to catch his attention.   

The next morning, Ryan and Geoff were in some sort of good-natured debate, the former jabbing his fork to highlight the points he was trying to make. Gavin slid in next to Miles, placing himself on the other side of the table from the seventh year boys, comforting their confused looks with a question about their Defense homework.  He pulled out his parchment, trying his best to listen to Miles’ explanation while ignoring Jack’s glare and Geoff’s smirk.

When he came in the next morning to find Ryan sitting in his usual spot, with Geoff’s arm wrapped around his shoulder, he spun on his heel and marched back out of the hall.  

He didn't stop until he made it to the alcove just outside the Charms classroom, and collapsed down onto a bench, hiding his face in his hands. Gavin knew he was being ridiculous, and painfully rude, but he had never claimed to be that mature in the first place. He’d nursed this crush for years, but he’d never got as far as thinking what he would do if he had to face the other boy.  Honestly, he never thought that would be a problem. Ryan was world’s away from him, in every possible category. Now it was coming back to bite him in the ass.

Still, he was going to have to get his shit together. It wasn't Ryan's fault that Gavin felt this way. Ryan was obviously interested in making new friends, something Gavin had never thought possible, and he couldn't let himself be the asshole to stand in his way.

He took a deep breath, and drug his hands from his face, planning on making his way back to the Great Hall.

Instead he found himself face to face with Ryan Haywood. The Head Boy was staring down at him, a small tilt to his lips, while his hands picked at the edges of his sleeve.

Gavin let out a choked sound.

“Um, hey,” Ryan said. “Can I talk for you a second?”

He honestly wanted to shake his head no. But the way Ryan was fidgeting, nervous and anxious, and staring right at him, froze him in place.  

Ryan sighed, obviously exasperated by Gavin’s silence, and slid one hand onto his hip before looking away. “Listen, I just wanted you to know that I won’t sit at your table anymore, okay?”

Gavin sat up a little straighter.

“Geoff and Jack were your friends first, and I don’t want to ruin that just because you have some sort of problem with me.”

Gavin thought he might be a bit sick.

“I don’t know if it’s my parents or what, I don’t really care, but I don’t make it a habit-”

“Oh god no,” Gavin finally blurted out, standing up and holding out his hand as if to physically stop Ryan’s words. “I don’t care about that stuff. Not anymore. I mean, I did, when I was a kid, but that was forever ago. I mean,” he babbled on, ignoring Ryan’s wide eyes, “you’re like, the best in the school, and you’re muggle born. Jack’s a pureblood and he can barely light a candle.”

Ryan wide, surprised eyes seemed to soften, but Gavin just kept going.

“That’s not me being mean. He’ll tell you that himself. And Geoff!”

“What about him?” Ryan asked, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“His mom’s a muggle, and he’s the best in our house.  If he gave a shit about rules or points or anything he’d have definitely been a prefect. Maybe even-” It was right before he said, ‘Head Boy’, that Gavin finally remembered who he was excitedly babbling at. He hid his face in his hands once more, and collapsed back onto the bench.

“I'm saying, I don’t care about any of that garbage,” Gavin mumbled, embarrassed beyond belief.

“Sorry,” Ryan said around a laugh, that sent shivers down Gavin’s spine. “I believe you, I swear.”

When Gavin finally got the courage to pull his hands away from his face, the other boy was biting his lip, giving him an inscrutable look.

Gavin sighed. Oh well. In for a penny. “What I'm trying to say, is that I don’t have a problem with you,” he said, quickly adding on, “truthfully, it’s pretty much the opposite of that.”

“Oh,” Ryan said calmly, blinking slowly. “ _Oh_ ,” he repeated, finally catching on. Gavin hid his face in his hands once more.  He didn't know what had caused him to blurt that out, but it was too late to take it back now.

Large, thick hands slowly tugged his hands free, until he found himself inches from Ryan’s face. He scrambled back against the cold, castle wall in surprise, but Ryan just smiled at him.

“Hey,” he whispered, and Gavin swallowed. “I’m glad.”

“What? Really?”

“Yeah. I, uh,” Ryan started, a blush tinting his cheeks, “I knew you used to stare at me a lot in the library, but I always worried that it was just because you thought I was weird.”

Gavin shook his head, ignoring the implication that he was nowhere near as subtle as he thought. “That wasn’t it. I mean, you’re a little weird,” he continued, ignoring Ryan's huff, “but in a good way.”

“I guess I’ll have to take that,” Ryan smiled, and suddenly he was moving forward until their lips met.

It was a chaste kiss, their lips barely grazing against the other. Gavin hadn't even closed his eyes before Ryan was pulling away.

“Sorry,” he immediately said. “I’ve just wanted to do that for a long time.”

Gavin had to bit back a whimper. “No problem. You can do it again if you want.”

Ryan chuckled, straightening himself up and pulling away.  “Maybe, uh, later. I mean, we can talk. Later. After class.”

They must have looked quite sight, Gavin thought. Both of their faces burnt red, staring at anything but the other.

“I’d like that,” he finally replied, turning up to look at the other.

Ryan smiled. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he replied, with a smile of his own. He gave a small wave as Ryan stumbled out of the alcove, the older boy shooting him a shy smile and returning his wave, before he disappeared around the corner.

When Miles found him a few minutes later, sitting in the same spot with his fingers tracing over his lips staring off into space, he couldn’t even pretend to hear the boy telling him he needed to get to class.

 _Later_ , he thought to himself, letting a small smile creep up on his lips.  

He couldn’t wait.  


**Author's Note:**

> There are a couple of little subplots I wanted to add into this thing. Like a friendship between Micheal and Gavin, and a little Geoff teasing Gus until he's out of school. I may have to come back and rewrite this thing with those.


End file.
